Raising a child is no easy task. Nevertheless Dutch parents do not get offered help with childrearing untill they ask for it or demonstrable problems have developed – at the expense of the child.... Show moreRaising a child is no easy task. Nevertheless Dutch parents do not get offered help with childrearing untill they ask for it or demonstrable problems have developed – at the expense of the child. Particularly parents with ‘excess bagage’ – for instance a troubled childhood, personal problems or a small social network – may benefit from preventive childrearing support to avoid psychosocial problems in their children or even child maltreatment. Such support, consisting of six homevisits during the first 18 months after birth, provided to families with an increased risk for childrearing difficulties by a trained nurse from a Well Baby Clinic has been researched in this study. Through a brief questionnaire 14% of all 9000 parents were found to be at risk. A total of 500 families participated, half of them received home visits, the other half received regular care. After two years both parents and children display better outcomes due to the home visits and the risk for child maltreatment has decreased. One mother said: “It is liberating to discuss your problems with a stranger in the safe environment of your own home. I am now seeing a psychologist which has very positive consequences both for me ánd my family”. Show less
